Forecasts indicate that the number of devices connected via communication networks will increase substantially in the near future. It is expected that Machine-to-Machine (M2M) devices will contribute significantly to this increase. M2M devices are largely autonomous, often very small devices typically associated with equipment or apparatus as opposed to a human user. M2M devices may be largely stationary once deployed or may be mobile, for example when associated with mobile equipment. M2M devices use cellular or other types of communication networks to communicate with an application server, which may or may not be comprised within the communication network. The application server receives information from the M2M device and configures the M2M device remotely. M2M devices thus typically access the communication network more or less infrequently, transmitting and receiving very small amounts of data, or being polled for data. M2M devices represent a subset within the larger category of User Equipment devices (UEs), and may also be referred to as Machine Type Communication (MTC) devices or Machine Devices (MDs).
M2M devices are deployed in a wide range of industries and applications, including consumer electronics, residential, commercial and industrial buildings, industrial equipment, medical devices etc. An example deployment of M2M devices to a factory environment is illustrated in FIG. 1. The example deployment comprises a large number of connected sensors and actuators scattered over a wide area and communicating via wireless technology. A Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) 2 is deployed within the factory site, the WSN comprising the plurality of distributed sensors which monitor physical and environmental conditions including temperature, sound, and pressure. Data from each sensor passes through the WSN from node-to-node. WSN nodes are in general low cost devices, and so may be deployed in high volume. WSN nodes also typically operate at low power and so may use battery power or energy harvesting. The example M2M deployment also comprises an edge node 4 that includes Internet Protocol connectivity. The edge node 4 acts as a gateway between the WSN and the IP network. The edge node 4 can also perform local processing, provide local storage, and may have a user interface. The edge node may allow accessing and configuration of WSN nodes via a local area network or via the Internet.
Management of deployed M2M devices is an ongoing challenge, and with the increasing size and complexity of M2M deployments, management functionality is an important aspect of deployment planning. Interactive Voice Response (IVR) enables remote interaction with an M2M gateway (edge node) or with individual or multiple M2M devices through the use of voice and Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency signalling (DTMF) tones input via communications devices. The introduction of IVR circuitry in an M2M edge node may enable a user to communicate with the edge node from a remote location. Configuration data or information requests may then be passed to individual M2M nodes by the M2M gateway node via appropriate protocols for the deployment, including for example COAP or Lightweight M2M. IVR may be particularly useful for management of M2M deployments in constrained environments, which may for example be subject to extreme environmental conditions, cover very large geographical areas or be subject to other restrictions which make accessing the deployment, including its gateway nodes, particularly challenging. Examples of deployments for which IVR would be particularly advantageous include large scale agricultural monitoring for soil health or irrigation systems, multi-story building management for environmental or other conditions, complex industrial or medical installations etc.
The current scale of M2M deployments, with respect to the communication networks via which they communicate, is such that the management of these deployments has not significantly impacted the smooth functioning of the communication networks. However, as M2M deployments increase in size and complexity, deployment management, effected for example via IVR, may come to have a significant impact upon conditions within the communication network supporting the managed deployment. Controlling the network impact of managed M2M deployments will thus become an increasingly important challenge for communication network operators.